With the complexity and interoperability of software and hardware today, it is very difficult to install or remove one program without having an effect on one or more pre-existing programs. Microsoft® Windows® operating systems as well as other operating systems have a plethora of components that all must maintain their integrity, otherwise the operating system becomes unstable and possibly fails. Furthermore, generally when hardware is installed, software drivers which allow the hardware to communicate with the software must be installed as well. If these drivers are corrupted, the hardware will not function properly. Additionally, many software programs have components beyond a main executable file which allow the programs to communicate with the operating system, and if these components are deleted or modified incorrectly, the program will no longer function. All of these components, whether they be part of the operating system, hardware or other software, must be able to co-exist without harming each other. Specifically, when the system is modified in some way such as by installing or removing a piece of hardware or a software program, the system should do it so that everything still functions correctly. Furthermore, over time, modifications are made to the system such as updating drivers and installing patches, and these modifications may adversely affect other components of the system. Also, if a user neglects to update his system, he could leave the system open to attacks by viruses or other intruders. So either by action or inaction, a user's system has the potential for issues, and such issues should be monitored.
There are many products which monitor a system or attempt to repair components of the system, but they all have their shortcomings and do not provide the full package to adequately ensure a stable system environment.
Windows® registry repair programs such as Registry Mechanic™ developed by PC Tools™ aid a user in cleaning, repairing and optimizing the Windows® registry. Registry Mechanic™ uses a detection algorithm to scan a user's registry and identify missing and invalid references in a user's registry. Then a list is provided of the registry errors found, so that a user is able to selectively choose to clean each item or automatically repair all of them.
BMC Software and Computer Associates International develop performance software, but these software packages tend to be host based software products.
Other products like security vulnerability scanning software, spyware/virus scanners and patch management software assist in maintaining a stable computing environment. Very well known companies like McAfee and Symantec develop virus scanners to protect a user's computer from being harmed by viruses. Viruses are computer programs which have the ability to disrupt and damage a user's system. The products from these companies are able to scan a user's system and locate irregular programs that fit certain definitions stored in a database. Upon detecting a virus, a user is able to remove the problem and hopefully avoid harm to his computer system. STEALTHbits Technologies develops a program called stealthAUDIT for Exchange. The program is an agentless auditing and conformance management platform that enables users to identify changes in the system to avoid problems by performing discreet patch scanning. However, these products are very focused exclusively on their specific areas of technology such as virus checking or patch management and do not include an entire package for maintaining system stability.
There are significant problems with the aforementioned options. They are not necessarily end user friendly. They do not focus on overall user support or computer reliability. They are not Application Service Provider (ASP) friendly. Furthermore, they lack other significant features. Hence, a solution is needed to overcome these issues.